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,R. W. HOWARD.

Ore Amalgamaton, No. 65,912. Patented Jun18, 1867.-

- Quinn gram gaunt @ffirr.

R. lV. HOWARD, 0F WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND.

Letter- Pment No. 65,912, dated June 18, 1867.

IMPROVED AMALGAMATOR.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, R. W. HOWARD, of Warwick, Kent county, Rhode Island, have invented a new and improved Amalgamator; and I dovhereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved device for amalgamating gold and silver, and it consists of a revolving or rotating pan placed within a stationary or fixed one, the former having its exterior provided with spiral flanges, and the bottom of the stationary or fixed pan provided with a gutter or trough at its edge, all

being arranged, as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby the pulp or crushed quartz is brought in contact and thoroughly incorporated with the quicksilver, and the latter amalgamated with all the precious metal contained in the former. In the accompanying sheet of drawings- Figure 1 is a vertical central section of my invention.

Figure 2, a plan or top view of the same, partly in section Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the stationary pan, the bottom of whichis provided with radial grooves or furrows a, and has a gutter or trough, 6, extending all around it at its lower edge. This pan A. has an upright hollow post, B, at its centre, through which a vertical shaft C passes and is allowed to rotate freely, said shaft C being driven from a driving-shaft, D, through the medium of bevel-gears c, as shown clearly in fig. 1. E represents a rotating-pan, which is smaller in diameter than A, and has an upright hollow hub, F, at its centre to fit upon the-post B at the centre of A. The hub F has a circular plate, d, secured on its top, through the centre. of which a square, 0, at the top of the shaft C passes, the plate (I resting on a shoulder,f, formed by the square, and serving as a support for the pan E, while the square e, by passing through a square hole at the centre of plate of, communicates motion to the pan from shaft 0. G is a jacket which is fitted over the hub F, and has a screw,-H, passing centrally through its top, said screw resting upon the top of the shaft C. By this turningscrew H, the jacket G maybe raised and lowered, as desired, and made to serve as a gate for a series of holes, 9, in the lower part of the hub F, as will be fully understood by referring to fig. 1'. The under surface of the rotating-pan E is provided with radial grooves similar to those in the bottom of the pan A, and to the exterior of the pan E there are attached spiral flanges I J, the former, I, extending from the lower edge of the side of the pan to the top edge of the same, and curved at their upper ends to guide the pulp which they carry up through holes It into the interior of the pan E, (see fig. 2.) The other flanges J are quite short, but their lower ends project down into the gutter or trough 6, their upper ends extending a trifle above the level of the bottom of the fixed pan A, as shown clearly in fig. 1. K represents a plate which is fitted or extends down within the rotating-pan E, and is secured in position by a curved arm, L, which passes through brackets or socketsi attached to the exterior of A. The plate K is stationary, and extends from the inner surface of the side of the pan E to the jacket G, and extends down nearly to the bottom of pan E, just clearing the same.

The operation is as follows: The pulp passes into the pan E, and from thence through the holes g down between the bottoms of the pans A E, and is forced out from between the same into the trough or gutter b, which contains the quicksilver, and the latter is incorporated with the pulp by the short spiral flanges J, which, as the pan E rotates, scoop up the quicksilver and pulp and mix the same. The amalgamated portions of'the pulp remain in the trough or gutter owing to its superior gravity, while the portions not amalgamated rise within reach of the flanges I, which carry it up and discharge it into the rotating-pan E through the holes h, from whence it again passes through the holes 9 down between the bottoms of the two pans, to be operated upon as before. The plate K is designed to prevent the pulp rotating with the pan E and insure its passage or discharge through the holes g between the bottoms of the two pans A E, the discharge of the pulp through the holes being regulated by adjusting the jacket G.

By this device all the particles of precious metal contained in the pulp are amalgamated with the quick silver and without grinding the quicksilver, which renders it very inefhcient, and is attended with a great waste of the same, asquicksilver, when ground, becomes light and floats away with the refuse pulp.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The stationary or fixed pan A, having its bottom provided with radial grooves a, and an annular gutter or trough 15 around its edge, in combination with the rotating-pan E fitted within A, and provided at its exterior with flanges I J and holes h in its upper part and provided at its centre with an upright hollow hub F, having holesg in its lower part to admit the pulp down between the bottoms of the two pans, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified. p

2. I further claim the adjustable jacket G on the hollow hub F, operated by the screw H, in combination with the fixed plate K in the pan E. substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

R. W. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

CALEB WESTCOTT, SAM. W. CLARKE. 

